Politics · Other · 3 hrs ago
Thousands protest Portugal’s housing crisis and alleged police violence
Thousands rallied outside Portugal’s parliament in Lisbon over the housing crisis and alleged police violence.
The protest followed police operations to clear camps in Lisbon and Porto, where officers used batons and made dozens of arrests.
Activists said 60 people were injured, while police reported seven minor injuries.
Demonstrators want the government to abandon plans to make evictions easier and lift rent caps on new rental agreements.
President António José Seguro criticised the violence and called for dialogue.
He said he would await the results of investigations, while police defended their actions as proportionate.
The protest brought together demands for housing rights and concerns about how activists were treated.
Thousands of people rallied outside Portugal’s parliament in Lisbon on October 27 over the housing crisis and recent police operations against housing activists.
The protest followed police operations to dismantle tent camps in Lisbon and Porto on October 25, during which officers used batons and made arrests.
Activists said 60 people were injured in the operations; police reported different figures, with one article citing seven minor injuries and another citing 11, including three officers.
Protesters called on the government to scrap plans to speed up evictions and end rent caps on new leases.
Authorities opened investigations into the police operations, while Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said police acted according to principles of necessity, proportionality and adequacy.
- Who
- Thousands of demonstrators, including housing activists, rallied outside parliament.
- What
- They protested the housing crisis and recent police operations against housing activists.
- When
- October 27, 2026.
- Where
- Outside Portugal’s parliament in Lisbon.
- Why
- Protesters opposed unaffordable housing and alleged excessive police force, and called for the government to abandon proposed housing measures.
Protesters and housing activists
Police and government
Police operations
Protesters and housing activists
Activists alleged excessive force during operations to dismantle tent camps and said 60 people were injured.
Police and government
Police defended their actions as proportionate; Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said officers acted according to principles of necessity, proportionality and adequacy.
Housing policy
Protesters and housing activists
Protesters demanded that the government scrap a bill to speed up evictions and end rent caps on new leases.
Police and government
The government’s draft budget and proposed bill were under consideration; the articles do not state the government’s response to the protesters’ demands.
Police operations to dismantle housing activists’ tent camps took place in Lisbon and Porto.
Thousands rallied outside parliament in Lisbon as lawmakers debated the government’s draft budget for 2027.
Portugal’s internal affairs watchdog opened an inquiry, and prosecutors launched a separate investigation into officers’ conduct.
- Protest location
- Outside Portugal’s parliament, Lisbon
- Police operations
- Lisbon and Porto, October 25
- Activists’ reported injuries
- 60
- Police-reported injuries
- Seven minor injuries in Africanews; 11, including three officers, in the Straits Times
- Proposed measures opposed
- Faster evictions and an end to rent caps on new leases
2 sources
What people are saying
fighting for decent and affordable housing for everyone
cost of living in Portugal is very high for what people earn
It is unbearable
necessity, proportionality and adequacy